Unity
by SereneQuill
Summary: Third part of the F major Diminished fifth set. EyesAyumu. Set following the end of the anime, based on anime, not manga. Higher rating than Reawakening and Accession for some language and later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Nope, don't own it. Checked them out of the library, can play with them for two whole weeks. Higher rating than the first two for later chapters to come and a few bad words. Based on the anime, not manga._

**F Major Diminished Fifth Trilogy**

**III. Unity **

**Chapter One**

**From Ayumu's Point of View:**

Two weeks of quiet. Quiet, of course, was a relative term. I mean, the roof was no longer quiet, as Kousuke had pretended to throw Rio off the roof, Ryoko usually kicked Kousuke around for one offense or another while loudly yelling, and an argument had broken out when Rio had beat Hiyono to my locker and stolen my lunch first. One day, I really would carry out on my threats to start investing in decoy lunches filled with something slimy and disgusting, just for a laugh.

No, I've missed my solitary naptime, but I can't say that the rambunctious energy spiraling from the lack of threats over the past weeks is unwelcome. Even the Blade Children seem happy, in a mild, tentative sort of manner. I'm not sure if they've actually changed; perhaps it's just because I'm much more comfortable in my own skin, and as a result, more comfortable with others.

Two weeks of quiet has meant that I haven't seen Eyes Rutherford for a full fourteen days. I had decided that a cooling off period of at least a few days would be good. A few days stretched into a week, then two, as my dreams about Eyes grew more vivid and troublesome instead of vanishing. I wanted to pretend I wasn't attracted to the mysterious, quiet man, but my subconscious had other ideas. Unfortunately, the more detailed my dreams got, the more nervous I got about facing Eyes. While I knew he had been with Kanone, I was fairly sure he didn't look at the younger brother of the great Kiyotaka Narumi as someone worthy of his affection.

"...since Eyes just got back from L.A.," I dimly heard Rio saying to Hiyono.

"Huh?" I said, lifting my head slightly. "I didn't know he left."

"Benefit concert," Kousuke sneered, while trying to steal a bit of bread from Ryoko. "Before that was a sold out show in Chicago. He was only gone for five days though."

"Hmm," was all I said, settling back down and trying very hard not to picture Eyes in my mind as I drifted off slightly, trying to think up some reason for stopping by to see Eyes beyond beginning with, 'I had to see you because...'

My daydreaming in class later earned me a chalkboard eraser to the head, and I headed home, still shaking white dust from my messy mop of hair. Perhaps I would shower and then... I stopped short, staring at the apartment door, which either Madoka had left ajar or had admitted a thief. I approached slowly, shifting my grip on my backpack, prepared to swing it at anyone on the other side of the door, instantly feeling foolish as I saw Eyes sitting on the couch facing the door.

"Ever heard of knocking?" I quipped, tossing down my bag in disgust.

"I tried," he replied dryly. "No one answered."

I stared for a moment, realizing that he had just made a joke. "Yeah, well, I'm sure you know what time Kousuke and Rio come back from school. I get out at the same time, so you could have waited till then." I had a sudden, terrible thought. "Unless something bad has happened. You're all right, aren't you?"

"I'm fine," Eyes replied, looking at me closely. "Jet lagged, but fine. Not tangling with an errant chalkboard like you have been, I see. I was simply checking in to make sure everything had remained quiet in my absence."

"Amazingly quiet," I told him, sitting in a chair opposite the couch, trying not to blush as I tried vainly once more to shake loose all the white dust from my hair. "Unless you count Kousuke pretending to throw Rio off the roof and disturbing my nap."

Eyes gave me a look, apparently as put off by my joke as I had been by his. "It seems... odd," he announced at last. "Two weeks and no sign of any hunters or any problems."

"Agreed," I replied instantly. "I've been a bit concerned about that as well."

"Kanone has left, and with Kanzaka dead, perhaps they simply have no choice other than to lie low." Eyes sounded like he was thinking out loud.

"Kanone is definitely gone?" I couldn't help asking, and regretted the slight bitterness in my voice, which Eyes had clearly heard as well.

"I saw personally saw to his departure," Eyes said, his voice, if it were possible, had become even quieter. "He will not bother you again, I will make sure of it."

"He's not your responsibility." I couldn't help saying. "Especially not since..." I trailed off, not wanting to reveal how much I had pieced together about Kanone and Eyes' past.

Eyes glared at me. "So you've put it together then, or did Rio open her mouth? You've found a piece of information the press would have a field day with, haven't you?"

I laughed, shrugging. "I think they'd be more interested in your secret life as one of the Blade Children, honestly," I told him. "And if you're worried, I haven't even told Hiyono."

"Keeping secrets from the girlfriend already?" Eyes replied. His tone was lighter, like he was joking, but there was something dark and serious behind his eyes.

"Hiyono's not my girlfriend, and I think the news about you might devastate her," I joked. "She was quite a big fan of yours... well, until she met you, anyway."

"I do tend to have that effect on people," Eyes admitted unabashedly. He stood suddenly, the usual façade he wore to block me out snapping firmly into place suddenly. "Your sister is on her way up," he informed me quietly.

"You should go, then," I replied, standing as well. "She's already gotten suspicious enough about my involvement with the Blade Children. She's afraid I'll leave the way Kiyotaka did."

"You won't, will you?" Eyes asked, his voice suddenly a bit odd and muffled sounding. "You wouldn't leave?"

I stared at him, waiting for him to look up, meet my gaze. "Not unless I absolutely have to."

Eyes shifted, his lips parting as though he were going to say something, then closing, then he opened his mouth again and closed it. "It's just that you already mean more to us than Kiyotaka did," he admitted at last. "We wouldn't be able to handle loosing you as well."

I realized suddenly that I was holding my breath and let it out shakily. Eyes had said we, not I, I reprimanded myself angrily. The Blade Children need you. Not him personally. "Thank you, I think," I said, a bit awkwardly.

"I didn't mean it as a compliment," Eyes informed me, his aloofness safely back in place. "Merely a statement of fact. Stop by my hotel and see me later this week." The last was a command, not a request. He swept past me and out the front door, closing it with a final click.

**From Eyes' Point of View:**

I had gone absolutely mad, I told myself as I played fiercely. What had started as a simple checking in with Ayumu upon my return had become something odd, akin to friendship. He had taken me at my word, stopped by, talked of nothing for nearly an hour, then left, telling me to stop by again any time I needed.

It had become routine. I met Ayumu at his house after school on Tuesdays, and he came to visit me on Fridays. Last Friday, somehow, we'd ended up sprawled across my bed watching horrible monster movies that it had turned out we both enjoyed. Hiyono had called; apparently Ayumu had forgotten she was coming to meet him that night. My heart had done funny flip flops at the thought that Ayumu ended up putting her off for me, but nothing had happened for the rest of the evening.

He can't come here anymore, I decided fiercely. I'll end up doing something stupid, saying something about how I feel or kissing him or... I banged on the piano with more force than was necessary. I was staying put, right here, no matter how close to school letting out it was. I threw myself into playing, not noticing anything around me until a hand snaked over my eyes and sent me quickly into a panic where I flipped the person to the ground, straddling them and pinning them to the floor.

"Ow, I'll warn you next time, I swear," Ayumu protested, and I suddenly went very still. I hadn't moved, and he was still lying underneath me, pinned by my grip. "I cut the last of my classes, I had a bad feeling about you," he confided, and I let go of his wrists, remaining seated on top of him.

"Warning me would be a good course of action in the future," I replied, settling my fists on either side of his head threateningly and glaring down at him. "I could have hurt you badly, you little idiot."

"I'm not that easily bruised," he shot back, but he wasn't looking at me. His hands were firmly clasped together, and he was looking over my shoulder, though his eyes kept drifting back to my face.

"What?" I snapped, sitting back and swinging my leg off him. He sat up warily, shrugging.

"Can you teach me to do that?" he asked, and I blinked, surprised.

"I'm sure you know how to fight," I began and he shook his head.

"Never really learned, cut gym class for years," Ayumu said easily. "I can hit people, I guess, but nothing formal, nothing really useful."

I was quiet for a long moment. "I can teach you," I said slowly. "I'm not certain how good of a teacher I will be though."

I walked Ayumu through a few simple throws, which he picked up with surprising ease. It was getting late, I noticed, and in the moment I shifted my attention, Ayumu managed to drop me to the floor, pinning me as I had pinned him originally. "And here we are again," he observed, his hands holding mine to the floor.

"Not quite," I gave him a moment's notice before I used my body to roll him quickly, pinning him again, a little breathless. "Now we're back to the beginning."

He smiled, struggling for a moment, trying to recreate the move I had used, but I held him pinned. "How'd you do it?" he asked, sighing and relaxing once more.

"I'm stronger than you," I replied, loosening my grasp, and Ayumu rolled me over, pinning me again.

"No, you just waited for the advantage over me," he returned easily, stopping me from tossing him off. "Now I know how to keep you in one place."

I forced myself to relax, and Ayumu collapsed against me, feigning exhaustion. "That was fun," he told me, and I shrugged.

"Now you're crushing me," I complained, trying to keep myself from reaching out to pull him closer. "You have a funny way of showing gratitude, Little Narumi."

He raised his head, giving me an odd look before sliding away and sitting up, not looking at me. "You've been playing with me, wrestling, teaching me to fight. But you've used this before, and killed."

"No," I said softly, pulling my knees up to my chest. "Not this way, except in self defense against Hunters. When I killed the first time, I was just a kid and it was…"

Ayumu was watching me now, his eyes a bit wary, but I plowed on, needing to know if he could accept me. "My mother," I whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt her, but I couldn't save her. I should have fallen down the stairs, not held on and let her take the blow. I had a couple of broken bones, but because she broke my fall, her neck had snapped. My fault. I was playing where she told me not to. I was pushing her, because I wondered if I wouldn't be better off dead, and I thought she couldn't save me anyway."

Ayumu's arm was suddenly around my shoulders, and he was pulling me into a hug. "You shouldn't," I warned him, not leaning into the hug. "I destroy anything that touches me."

"I'll take that chance," he told me, and I let myself fall into his embrace. My eyes were mercifully dry, but I needed the support. It seemed like hours before we moved again, and the room had gotten dark. "We should get something to eat," Ayumu told me gently, and I nodded. "I'll cook, if you'd like," he offered.

"Are you as good as Rio claims?" I asked. "Kiyotaka could burn water."

"I'm good," he assured me and offered me a hand to help me off the ground.

"Then I'd be foolish to refuse," I said. I watched him in my kitchen, the silence easy and comforting, and suddenly realized that somewhere during the course of the afternoon, I had fallen in love with Ayumu Narumi.

Shit. This was trouble. "You okay?" I looked up quickly at Ayumu's question, and nodded.

"I'll be fine," I managed to say, grateful that he turned away. I'd loose his friendship if he ever found out how I felt, and I needed his friendship more than I would ever have dreamed.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks To My Reviewers!_

_KousukeAsuzuki: Yeah, I've got a quite a bit planned with this story. It'll go on for a while, eight chapters or so. Yeah, I figured that no one ever mentions Kiyotaka cooking, like he never did it, and they all love Ayumu's so much, that maybe Kiyotaka just never did learn._

_Kuroi Kitty: Thanks! I try to update once a week, if at all possible._

_Born of Avalon: Thanks! Hopefully you'll enjoy this next part too!_

_Yuumei: See more? Raises eyebrow Sorry, but I'm a pretty poor artist so you'll have to let your imagination create the pictures._

_Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own them. Working on building up enough money to bribe the right people into loaning them on a long-term basis._

**F Major Diminished Fifth Trilogy**

**III. Unity **

**Part Two**

**From Ayumu's Point of View:**

Eyes had been quiet on Friday, unusually quiet, and I figured that I had pushed him too far. I didn't expect to see him in my apartment Tuesday. The door was ajar though, and I couldn't help smiling when I saw Eyes lounging on my couch.

"Have some time for a short trip?" he greeted me, and I nodded, dashing off a quick note to Madoka and following him out the front door. We walked in silence to the recital hall, and I raised an eyebrow when I noticed that a second piano had been pushed onstage.

"What are you up to?" I asked suspiciously.

"Here," Eyes said, handing me a piece of music.

"You want me to play for you?" I asked, shifting from one foot to another warily.

"I want you to play with me," Eyes clarified, shuffling his music to produce a second part to the duet, and patting the bench next to him. "Kiyotaka always tried to convince me I should record a duet. Take the top part, for now."

I stared at Eyes for a moment, finally sitting down, my nerves now fluttering uncomfortably. I took the music, looking over the notes carefully, running a finger along the carefully written music. "Watch the runs here," Eyes warned me, his finger meeting mine briefly. I felt my cheeks grow hot for a moment, resisting the urge to let my fingers fall over Eyes' hand.

I took a deep breath, and nodded. "I'm not great at sight reading," I warned Eyes. "I'd be better after practice."

"Helpful to know," Eyes told me dryly. "But you're here now, so humor me."

I nodded, swallowing carefully, and plunking out the first measure, surprising myself by the ease with which my fingers were moving. I faltered for a moment as Eyes got up and crossed to the second piano, beginning to play as well, but I continued, managing to finish the piece with fewer mistakes than I had anticipated.

"Someday your brother will be wrong," Eyes muttered, folding the piece of music carefully. "What will it take to convince you to play with me, record a song, perhaps?"

"You think it's good enough?" I asked skeptically. "I mean, it sounds good, but I…"

"Will improve with practice?" he mocked me, giving me a pained look. "Little Narumi, no one has played it as well as you yet. Perhaps it is because you don't fight my rhythm and blend with me. Or maybe it is because unlike most people, you actually know me."

"I guess," I replied, staring at the white keys in front of me, barely aware of Eyes sitting down on the bench next to me.

"Ayumu?"

"Is this really that important to you?" I asked, still feeling uncertain.

"Yes," Eyes replied simply. "Will you do it?"

"Okay," I heard myself agreeing. "I will, if it means that much to you."

"I don't need to bribe you?" Eyes asked skeptically, and I shook my head. "When did things change so much between us?" he wondered out loud, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a jab at him.

"When you stopped being a jerk," I told him, and he glared at me.

"Very funny." He started to say something more, but suddenly grabbed his ribs, doubled over in pain.

"Eyes?" I asked, my voice panicked and childish. "What's wrong? Can I help you?"

"Here," Eyes reached out, taking my hand in his. He brought my hand up to his stomach, guiding it under his shirt.

"Eyes, what—" I started to say, but stopped as Eyes slid my hand up over his ribs, stopping at the gap where the seventh rib should have been.

"There," Eyes told me softly. "That's how you know one of the Blade Children. It burns in pain to remind us of our cursed nature. It hurts, but eases again soon enough, until one day it kills us.

"This tiny flaw will kill you," I murmured, running my thumb gently along Eyes' skin, feeling the dip between ribs.

"As for how you can help me," Eyes said, his voice shaking, his eyes closing. "You have to stop."

"Stop?" I repeated, and then suddenly became aware of the small stroking motions my thumb was making. "I'm hurting you," I said, jerking my hand away, only to find it still tangled in Eyes'.

"You're not," Eyes told me, tightening his grip momentarily, as though in response to his own pain. "You made it feel better, actually. But the pain is part of the weight I bear, the curse I must carry alone."

"Don't be stupid," I retorted angrily. "You don't have to carry anything alone. That's why you have friends."

"And what, you'll continue to hold my hand until the pain passes?" I think he was aiming for sarcasm, but I ignored it, pulling myself closer to him, bracing his body with mine and offering my other hand.

"Yeah, if that's what you need," I told him roughly. His luminous blue eyes turned to face me, and I leaned forward, stopping suddenly when I realized I was acting as though this were one of my dreams, about to kiss him. My face colored slowly, and I let my chin drop to my chest. "Sorry, I'm pushing you too much," I muttered. To my surprise, Eyes moved closer, relaxing into my grip.

"You're a good friend, Little Narumi," Eyes said, his head resting against mine.

I helped Eyes back to his hotel, getting him into bed before he fell asleep. I collapsed next to him, suddenly weary and filled with worry. I watched as Eyes lay still, even more pale and still than usual, and wondered for the first time what I was to him. I thought I was so sure, but the clues were starting to pile up in favor of Eyes not considering me just a friend, which confused me as much as it pleased me. I made myself promise to get up as soon as I was certain Eyes was okay. But my weary eyes had other ideas.

**From Eyes' Point of View:**

I awoke, confused to find myself spooned tightly against Ayumu, his arms wrapped tightly around me. I relaxed, enjoying the feeling, not entirely certain what had prompted Ayumu to stay, but more certain that my feelings were not entirely one sided. I carefully turned, facing Ayumu and enjoying the quiet and admiring how calm and easy he looked when he slept. I ran a feather light finger over the skin between his eyes that was usually crinkled and creased in deep thought, but now was smooth, his cares erased for a moment. My finger continued down the arch of his nose, then dropped to his lips, tracing around them softly. He shifted slightly in his sleep, and before I gave into temptation, I cupped his cheek, putting more pressure into my touch and gently waking him up.

"I think you fell asleep," I told Ayumu when he blinked sleepily, and he nodded.

"I just meant to make sure you were all right," Ayumu admitted, easing his arms free of me to look at his watch. "I can't believe I just slept for four hours."

I rolled over to glance at the clock, confirming that it had gotten late. "I don't want to get up," I groaned, and was surprised to find a pair of strong arms suddenly looped around me.

"You were hurt, you're entitled to stay put," Ayumu informed me. I turned back to him, snuggling in again.

"What's your excuse?" I asked him, looking up at his deep brown eyes.

"I don't want to get up," he repeated, smiling at me. His smile faded a moment later, replaced with a sad frown. "You scared me, Eyes."

"It's not usually that bad," I confided in him. "It was worse than usual, but easier to handle because you were there."

"I helped?" Ayumu asked, looking surprised. "Unless my being there was what made it worse?"

"I don't think—" I started to say, and jumped when the door burst open. Kousuke, as usual, had never learned common manners and decided to burst into my bedroom unannounced.

"Oh shit!" Kousuke burst out, his face suddenly turning as red as his hair. "No one bothers to tell me you two hooked up! I would have knocked, if I knew, I mean…"

Ayumu and I started to babble instantly, mixed bits of denial and explanation. "The curse's mark," I said, sitting up only to find that I was shirtless, and Ayumu turned bright red.

"The buckles on your shirt," he said, sitting up and pulling away from me. "I was afraid they might hurt you worse if you laid on them…"

"It's okay," I said, getting up and crossing to the closet to retrieve a white dress shirt. I began buttoning it carefully. "Kousuke?"

"You aren't dating?" Kousuke repeated, looking back and forth between the two of us. "But Rio said…"

"Did you have some news for us?" I demanded, cutting him off before he could spill Rio's suspicions of my feelings for Ayumu.

"Oh yeah," Kousuke said, looking somewhat abashed. "Cops found a body behind that book store, The Crayon House. Been there about four hours."

"Four hours?" I repeated, my voice suddenly cold. "Who was it?"

"Padma," Kousuke replied, shaking his head. "At least I think it was. I couldn't get a good look at the body, and there wasn't much identifiable, Eyes. Her body was destroyed, mutilated. It looked like her and kind of like one of those wispy things she always wears, a whatchmacallits."

"A sari?" I corrected him coolly, catching the perplexed look on Ayumu's face. "The curse mark burned four hours ago, which should have told me that one of us had died, but I ignored it, because it burns me too often now. You came to me this week with a bad feeling. I failed Padma."

"She was one of the Blade Children," Ayumu concluded. "Indian?"

"Yes," I nodded, grateful his wits were sharper than Kousuke's. "She cut herself off from all of us, in an attempt to live in isolation rather than take a life. We had respected her decision, but if she came here…"

"She had to be looking for us," Kousuke burst out, cracking his knuckles threateningly. "And this guy didn't just hunt her, he destroyed her."

"It's personal, most likely," Ayumu concluded. "Violence like that doesn't sound like just another hunter. An impersonal attack like a sniper would suit them just fine." At this, he inclined his head toward me, and I nodded, agreeing.

"Check in with your sister in law," I suggested, and Ayumu nodded, picking up his coat and shrugging it on. "We'll catch up with you in a couple of hours at the crime scene."

"See you then," Ayumu said, leaving, and I started to leave as well, but Kousuke stopped me, shoving me backwards roughly.

"He's been here for a while, sleeping in your bed. Rio says you're in love with him. And then you tell me you aren't interested in Little Narumi?"

"I said nothing of the sort," I replied, narrowing my eyes in irritation. "We are not dating."

"Just sleeping together then," Kousuke retorted. "Eyes, you can't use him to replace Kanone. You deserve better, and we need him!"

"I am doing nothing of the sort! I love him, not Kanone," I objected fiercely. "Nor is it any concern of yours whom I sleep with, literally or figuratively."

"You haven't…?" Kousuke trailed off, looking completely bewildered. "What the hell are you doing, Eyes? He obviously wants you!"

"I can't," I replied, my eyes falling. "Time is running out for me, Kousuke. Why should I put him through that?"

"Why not let him make that decision?" Kousuke objected.

"It takes two to tango," I replied, sweeping past Kousuke. "Come along, Kousuke."

"Where are we going?" he asked, following me quickly.

"Padma probably went to the same place she's stayed last time she came to Tokyo," I replied. "She was a creature of habit, and would have no way to find any of us."

"Sound pretty flimsy if you ask me," Kousuke commented.

"Think!" I snapped, loosing my patience. "She was found by The Crayon Box. We never could keep her out of bookstore when she occasionally came out of seclusion. That was her favorite. Padma is and always has been a creature of habit."

"Fine," Kousuke agreed irritably. "But what is going back to her old place going to get us?"

"I don't know." It was true. If Ayumu was right, I didn't know where to begin. Padma had completely isolated herself from humans, making herself one of the least likely people of my acquaintance to have a personal enemy.


	3. Chapter 3

**F Major Diminished Fifth Trilogy**

**III. Unity **

**Part Three**

**From Ayumu's Point of View:**

Madoka hadn't had anything good to add, though she had mercifully taken my hint to stop asking me where I had spent my afternoon. It was hypocritical, but I couldn't stop wondering why Eyes wouldn't just kiss me. Why wouldn't he make the first move?

"This has something to do with the Blade Children?" Madoka asked, handing me a sheet on the dead girl to look over.

"I'm not sure," I told her, stretching the truth. The file confirmed what I had feared. "The police planning to do much with this?"

"Not really," Madoka replied, frowning slightly. "There was some sympathy in the press at first, because she's a young girl and the murder was pretty savage, but since they caught on that she's also probably a murderer, they're more interested in shipping the case back to India."

"Thanks, Madoka," I said, and she smiled, shrugging.

"You're getting to be an awful lot like Kiyotaka all of the sudden," she told me, a bit sad. "Call me if you're not coming home tonight?"

"I will," I promised, understanding her concern. My freedoms had grown exponentially since the incident with Kanone, but old fears always lingered behind her eyes. "I will be back, Madoka."

I closed the door on her saying, "Be careful." I glanced at the sheet and headed for the crime scene, frowning at what was contained on the sheet. Apparently isolation hadn't worked out so well for Padma. A boy, roughly the same age as Padma, had died, falling from the balcony in the Blade Child's house. It had looked like an accident, but when the police had investigated, they had noticed cuts on Padma's hands, the broken glass, and then found bits of skin and blood under the deceased's fingernails, it had been enough to open an investigation.

It turned out that the isolation must have too much for Padma, and the boy had been romantically involved with her, bringing her books on an almost daily basis. The investigation hadn't been able to find a motive and released her, but it hadn't been good enough for the family. Two attempts had been made on her life before she fled, vanishing nearly a week earlier. Madoka had noted that the girl had first gone to London, then LA, before arriving here in Tokyo. London, LA, Tokyo, I mused grimly. It connected pretty clearly to someone looking for Eyes Rutherford, especially if she viewed him as the leader of the Blade Children.

The bottom of the sheet had included a note from a psychiatrist. He had determined that Padma was not mentally damaged in any way, but had been a bit slow to process the outside world. A few years in isolation had taken its toll on her. While she was brilliant, she lacked any social skills or basic ability to survive outside her own small world.

I flipped open my phone, hitting my speed dial to call Hiyono. "Ayumu!" the excited squeal had me pulling the phone away from my ear for a moment.

"Hey," I said shortly. "I need you to look up a name for me. Padma Guptra. Indian."

"The girl who was killed earlier tonight? Is she involved with the Blade Children?"

"She is one of the Blade Children." I waited, and sure enough, she had a few more questions.

"Do you think this is a Hunter? It seems a little odd for them."

"It seems personal. Madoka told me Padma was possibly a murderer, and I need to know more about the case. There's a mention of the victim's family. I need to know who and how many and get a sense for them."

"You think her family is involved? Makes sense I guess. But it seems pretty awful even still. Could they be Hunters too?" Hiyono asked, obviously fixated on the dynamic between Hunters and Blade Children.

"I guess," I conceded. "Just hurry, okay? I'm meeting Eyes back at the crime scene and I need to know if we're in for a rough night. I'd rather be ready if we're outnumbered."

"Okay," Hiyono replied, sounding determined. I was about to click the phone shut, when I heard her voice, small and curious. "Hey, Ayumu?"

"Yeah?" I replied, a bit wary. I never liked what usually followed that tone.

"Rio said you and Eyes…"

"Yeah?" I interrupted impatiently. I didn't want to have this conversation.

"I don't really want to know, Ayumu, but if she's right, you need to be careful. He is a killer, ruthless." I closed my eyes, sighing.

"I know. I'll be all right though," I reassured her, turning the corner just a few blocks from the Crayon Box. "Look, I gotta go. You got anything?"

"Three brothers and a sister," Hiyono crowed suddenly. "The oldest brother already has made two attempts on her life and just got out of jail two days ago. Sounds like he's your guy."

"Thanks," I replied, slightly impressed by her speed.

"No prob!" she chirped, obviously still thrilled with her investigative skills, though I figured she'd just done a google search. "And Ayumu, be careful!"

"I will," I replied dutifully, snapping the phone shut. I rounded the corner, nodding as I approached Eyes.

**From Eyes' Point of View:**

The apartment was cold, and Padma's bags had been dumped just inside the door, still packed. "She didn't stay long," Kousuke observed, shaking his head. "And I don't think the Hunter or whoever came after her passed through here either."

"It seems unlikely," I agreed, sweeping into the bedroom. The bedcovers were crumpled, and a large amount of tissue littered the side table. "She was upset," I observed, walking over to the bed. What I mistook for a piece of paper caught my eye, and I pulled it out from under the pillow, sighing when I got a good look at it. "So that was it. She fell in love."

"What?' Kousuke demanded, taking the picture from me. "Man, I always thought she didn't have any feelings at all! Cold, shut down, I thought all Blade Children were that way till I met Ryoko."

"You met me before you met Ryoko," I observed, narrowing my eyes at Kousuke.

"Yeah, and you're a shining example of letting people see your feelings," Kousuke jabbed sarcastically at me. "Little Narumi probably has no idea what you're feeling. He might even think you hate him as cold as you get sometimes."

Normally I would have hit him and gone on, but I frowned this time, suddenly painfully aware of my own actions. "Do you really believe that?" I asked softly.

Kousuke looked up, his face pained. "Geez, I didn't mean that, Eyes. I can be an ass sometimes, just ignore me. If you want him, go after him. If not, just let him down easy so we don't loose him. We're all feeling like this is some sort of tightrope walk with Little Narumi right now, because he suddenly matters too much."

"I know," I replied, shaking my head. "I don't think we're going to find anything else here."

"We got enough," Kousuke said grimly, looking at the picture, which was obviously crinkled and tearstained. "I'll try and track down this Shyam and see if he might be in town." He pocketed the picture, and as we split up, the inscription on the back echoed through my head.

"_To my dearest Padma, I give my heart, unconditionally. You alone have known who I am and embraced the darkest pieces of my soul, as I have done with you. Only once in a lifetime do two souls match up perfectly. Such a connection is worth any future price. Love always, Shyam."_

Ayumu, I thought suddenly. I could give you my heart unconditionally, if I were not afraid you need the strength loosing me would cost you in the future. Kousuke's words came back to haunt me, and I almost stopped in surprise. Why not let Ayumu make that decision? Was he stronger than I gave him credit for?


	4. Chapter 4

_Previously recorded: Thanks! I'll definitely continue, and hopefully you'll like this next bit…_

_Red Kitsune Flames: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed all three stories!_

_Yuumei: Lol, yeah, they're kinda missing each other, but hopefully they'll figure it out…_

_KousukeAsazuki: Well, eventually they'll get together… and even Kanone will get his turn to come and play, but not for a while…_

_Hopefully I'll get better at doing regular updates (conferences last week destroyed my free time!) But I'll have lovely car rides across three states for Thanksgiving to type on the laptop._

**F Major Diminished Fifth Trilogy**

**III. Unity **

**Part Four**

**From Ayumu's Point of View:**

The alley air still held the tang of stale blood and death, which I tried to ignore as I carefully skirted around the marked off crime scene to join Eyes, who was sitting on a wooden crate, frowning thoughtfully at the dried blood still present on the concrete.

"Got the police info from Madoka," I said, sitting on the loading dock at Eyes' feet. "Padma was being questioned for the death of her lover. Hard to say if it was an accident or not, but it seems his family had a pretty big grudge and one of the guy's brother's even tried to kill her twice. She headed to London, then LA, before coming here…"

"She was looking for me," Eyes concluded, his face pained. "And the brother probably tracked her easily."

"He may be coming after the rest of you, too," I reminded him. "Or just you, if he figured out Padma was looking for someone."

"Kousuke and I found a photograph in her apartment. It implies that Padma may have confessed her identity as one of the Blade Children to Shyam. His family may know as well."

"Potential Hunters," I thought aloud. "More determined, but also more likely to make stupid mistakes in anger and high emotional states."

"Also likely to come back here," Eyes hissed, and I went still, hearing the same footsteps he was. I had frozen, so it was simply lucky that Eyes dragged me back over the loading dock with him. We rolled down the small ramp, hiding in the deep shadows by the back entrance to the bookstore. Eyes was on top of me, pulling his long black coat up over our heads to prevent us from being spotted should anyone climb up onto the loading dock.

I listened for what seemed like hours as steady footsteps walked around above us, finally fading away again in the same direction they had come from. "It was only one person," I whispered, focusing on Eyes. "Why didn't we just jump him?"

"Her," Eyes whispered back. "It wasn't our murderer. I bet she's related though. There were a few goons behind her. Guards."

"Padma's boyfriend had a sister," I told him. "Could've been her." I waited, surprised Eyes didn't move, his eyes boring into mine. "What is it?"

"Kousuke says I'm cold, shut down," Eyes muttered, and I shook my head, worried by the dark look on his face. "That I hide my feelings so much that you might even think I hate you."

"I know you're my friend," I gasped, my heart racing.

"No," Eyes said, his eyes closing. I stopped, processing slowly what he had said. A tiny bit of courage unfurled within me and I suddenly brought my lips to Eyes' in a soft ghost of a kiss.

I opened my eyes, praying the other man wasn't going to hit me for kissing him, that I hadn't misjudged his feelings. "I told you, I destroy everything I touch," Eyes whispered, the pain etched clearly on his face. "Padma was one of the Blade Children as well. Look what she did to the man she loved."

"I thought you enjoyed taking chances," I joked weakly, my eyes closing to avoid showing him how hurt I was by his words.

"The other Blade Children need you too," Eyes informed me, his voice suddenly cold. "And you shouldn't risk your own health and safety for someone like me."

"Isn't that my decision?" I demanded. "I didn't choose to fall for you, it just happened. And now I won't walk away without a fight."

"You little idiot."

**From Eyes' Point of View:**

Ayumu's words were too perfect, and I couldn't find the strength to argue any longer. "You little idiot," I told him, before crushing my lips to his in a brutal, fierce kiss. He moaned, wrapping his arms around my chest and opening his mouth to admit my pleading tongue.

The kiss was like a battle, our tongues dueling for control of the kiss. Ayumu was pulling me closer to him, rocking his own hips up to mine, trying to pull our bodies as close together as he could. I broke the kiss, only to begin lightly nipping at Ayumu's jaw line, his permission seeming to have loosed something inside me. "I need you," I murmured, almost unconsciously.

"We should get somewhere safe," Ayumu told me, his hand finding my hair and gently stroking my hair. "Or perhaps continue this conversation a bit later, when we're certain there isn't anyone coming to try to kill you."

"If you insist," I agreed, sitting up and offering Ayumu a hand up. "I suppose tearing each other's clothing off at a murder scene is a bad idea."

I was pleased to see a smile tug at his lips, and his fingers laced through mine tightly. "You're morbid, you know that?" he joked, and I nodded, shrugging.

"Part of my charm," I replied, tugging him back up the ramp. "Let's get clear of this alley so I can call Kousuke and tell him to stop looking for Shyam." I paused at the crime scene tape, marveling at the pools of blood. "This seems odd," I said, glancing at Ayumu to see what he thought.

"She was killed here," Ayumu said, looking around suspiciously at the open windows along the alley and the flat above The Crayon Box, where a light shone. "How did he have time to disfigure her so badly without anyone hearing her scream?"

"Snuck up, cut her throat," I suggested. "No screaming, no attention drawn immediately. But from what Kousuke said, the amount of time the killer would have had would be limited severely by the location."

"It couldn't have been one person then," Ayumu agreed. "One of the brothers at least, the sister probably."

"Odd level of violence from a female family member though," I thought aloud.

"She lost her brother," Ayumu pointed out. "People do odd things over family."

"Like getting involved with dangerous criminals and saving their lives?" I suggested, my voice laced with irony.

"Finding their own true love?" he countered, something suggestive and heated in his eyes sending a pleasant thrill through my body. "Call Kousuke quickly, so we can go back to your place."

"Okay," I agreed easily, slipping out my cell phone as we walked. "Kousuke, forget Shyam."

"Hello to you too," Kousuke replied grumpily. "What did you find?"

"Shyam's dead," I informed him. "Padma may have killed him, which is why his family was trying to kill her."

"Trying nothing! They got her!" Kousuke burst out. "Do they know about us?"

"I don't know," I replied. "It's late though, Kousuke. Head home. I'll call in the morning."

"'Kay." Kousuke hung up the phone, and I frowned at his usual lack of manners on the phone. That was when I noticed Ayumu dialing a number on his phone.

"Madoka? You asked me to call." I raised an eyebrow, uncertain of what information Ayumu was passing along to his sister in law. "No, I won't," he said, and he gave me one of his small mischievous smiles as he said this. "Bye."

He hung up, and I looked at him expectantly. "She asked me to call if I thought I might not be home tonight," Ayumu told me, and I nodded. The full weight of his words hit me in the next moment, and I halted suddenly, pulling Ayumu back into a small side alley, pinning him to the wall and kissing him hungrily. My hands were under his coat, running along his hips. He gasped, wrapping his arms around my chest, his cold fingers finding the small of my back and sliding up my spine. His lips responded eagerly to mine, nipping at my lower lip before opening his mouth and letting me slide my tongue along his, softening and slowing the kiss abruptly.

Desperation and need battled with something deeper and more delicate, making my hands suddenly tighten and pull Ayumu closer to me gently. His hands reached my face and wrapped in my hair, holding my face softly. The kiss became gentler, slower, transforming into something that curled my toes in my shoes and made me sigh as our lips parted. "Wow," Ayumu breathed, burying his lips into the crook of my neck. "What did I do to deserve that?" His breath on my skin sent a pleasant shiver through me.

"You accept me," I told him. "You want me, just me." I stumbled over the words, grateful that his face reflected his understanding.

"You have no idea how much I want you," Ayumu told me, kissing the point in my neck where my pulse was pounding. "It's much, much worse. I need you, Eyes."

"Are we trying to get back to my hotel?" I asked as Ayumu nipped at my neck, his teeth grazing skin. "Because I'm about to forget propriety and have my way with you here."

"If I'd known you'd react this way, I'd have kissed you sooner," Ayumu joked, lacing his fingers with mine. "Let's go to your place, quickly."


	5. Chapter 5

_Red Kitsune Flames: Yes, just when we all thought we'd have to take drastic measures, like handcuffing them together or something. Thanks!_

_Ran: Thanks! They are awfully cute when they want to be…_

_Yuumei: ((Cackles evilly)) I never show all the cards, dear, I'm evil, kinda like Kousuke. So hopefully I'll raise a lot more questions before I'm through. Thanks for the review!_

_KousukeAsuzuki: Unfortunately, much like Kousuke, I like being rude and not living up to "promises". So no lemon yet, but don't worry, there will be at least one before I'm done._

**F Major Diminished Fifth Trilogy**

**III. Unity **

**Part Five**

**From Ayumu's Point of View:**

I'm not sure how we reached Eyes' hotel room without any more incidents of my back encountering a wall with an amorous Blade Child pining me in place, but we did, and in record time. Mostly I was surprised by how much I wanted him to continue the practice. The door closed behind us and Eyes tossed down his keys, suddenly looking much more shy, and I was suddenly much more awkward. My stomach wouldn't stop fluttering.

"How long?" Eyes asked quietly, not looking at me. "How long have we been dancing around each other?"

"Nearly two months for me," I told him, sitting down on the couch as I had grown used to doing every time I visited. This time, unlike the others, Eyes sat down on the couch by me, not on the piano bench across from me.

"It took me until the day after our confrontation with Kanzaka," Eyes told me, answering the question I hadn't dared to ask. "I had feelings for you long before that, but I hadn't felt that way for so long that I didn't recognize them."

"What made you?" I asked, a bit fascinated in spite of myself.

"A dream, about you," he admitted, his eyes hooded and suggestive. "I'll let you imagine the rest."

The butterfly shudders in my heart became full, vibrating heat, rushing through my veins. "I wonder," I said, my voice husky and rough, "if it started like this." I closed the distance between us, kissing him very gently.

"No," Eyes replied, shoving me so that I fell backwards onto the couch. "It was much more demanding. Like this." He was on top of me, his lips covering mine in a hot, hungry kiss. His lips moved to my throat, nipping and licking a path to my collarbone, and my fingers found the buttons of his shirt, clumsily fumbling to open them, seeking bare skin. Only hours before my fingers had been pressed to the soft skin, but now I could savor the feeling, see the pale skin and slight imperfection where the skin dipped instead of protruding around a rib.

"Is…" I gasped, loosing my thoughts as Eyes' hands slid under my pants to un-tuck my shirt. "I won't hurt you?" I managed to ask, and Eyes shook his head, running a gentle hand over my hair.

"Others have been rough with me," he admitted, biting his lower lip. "Very rough."

"Kanone," I guessed, and he nodded.

"Does it bother you?"

I paused, making certain of my answer. "No," I admitted, still a bit surprised by it. "I know that you aren't with him anymore. You're with me."

"I am yours," Eyes whispered, "All yours. And I'm not glass."

But you've never had anyone treat you like you were precious, I realized a bit sadly, making a promise to make up for that someday. Rather than dwell on the thought, I pulled Eyes' lips back to my own, my hand tangling in his hair as I used my hips as Eyes had taught me to in order to roll him underneath me, so that I could run a line of kisses from his mouth down to the gap in his ribs before returning to worry at one nipple, making Eyes arch under me, gasping.

"Bedroom?" he suggested, and I nodded, agreeing easily, though I suddenly felt a ripple of anxiety again, unable to suppress a bit of uneasiness. This was moving so fast.

"You should know," I managed to say as I pulled him to his feet and ended up with Eyes wrapped around me tightly. "You should know that I've never done this before."

"Never?" Eyes asked, and I was relieved to see that he didn't look worried. Instead, the look in his eyes was excited, almost happy. "I'm your first lover?"

"Yeah," I replied, amazed by the little things I said resulting in such fierce reactions from Eyes, his icy exterior melting as I had wished for once. "I've never wanted anyone like this before," I admitted between kisses.

"You have no idea how flattering that is to hear," Eyes informed me, tugging my hand as he opened the bedroom door clumsily. "I thought for so long that you were with the Yuizaki girl."

It took me a moment to draw the connection to Hiyono from our previous conversation, and I sighed. "She's not going to take this well," I warned him, rewarded with a smirk worthy of Kousuke.

"Her two crushes together? I thought girls enjoyed that sort of thing." I sat down on the bed next to him, suddenly uncertain of what to do. Eyes took this in slowly, nodding. "We could wait," he murmured, gently running a hand through my hair.

"What?" I asked, a bit puzzled.

"You look like you've been hit by a truck," Eyes told me, his honesty a bit jarring. "You're not ready to be this serious about someone all in one night."

"I'm that easy to read?" I joked weakly, shaking my head. "It's not that I don't want to," I added hastily. "But all of the sudden it seemed too fast for me. What if everything is horrible, or tomorrow morning you figure out this really is a mistake, or…" I took a deep breath. "I just need you too much to mess this up by being stupid."

"I understand," he told me simply, leaning down for a light kiss, his lips lingering on mine for several moments. "We'll go slowly. If you wanted to stay though, sleep here, just sleep, I mean…" he trailed off, and I recognized the almost hopeful edge to his question a heartbeat later.

"Yeah," I replied, tugging him down to the bed. "And maybe some more kissing. And cuddling. I never pinned you as the cuddly type of guy."

"I most certainly am not," Eyes retorted, doing his best to sound like his usual haughty self.

"You were wrapped around me earlier when we woke up," I informed him, failing to notice the dangerous glint in his eyes.

"I believe you were the one who was wrapped around me like you needed a teddy bear. Wouldn't let me out of bed."

I opened my mouth to retort and Eyes took advantage of my momentary distraction, the pillow connecting with my head with a 'thunk'. "You cheat!" I cried, laughing as we tussled for control of the pillow, ending up tangled together, tired and happy on his bed.

"See?" Eyes informed me with a gentle kiss on my forehead as we were drifting off sleepily. "You needed to cuddle."

From Eyes' Point of View 

I woke up slowly, still tangled with Ayumu, and though I would never admit it to him, I was the one spooned tightly to him with my arms wrapped around him. I wasn't used to feeling like this. Even with Kanone, I hadn't been this oddly content. I usually climbed right out of bed in the morning, automatically, without any thought. Today I was reluctant to get up, and had no intention of letting Ayumu get up either.

I eased my arms slowly free of Ayumu's grasp, rolling onto my back. Predictably, Ayumu rolled over as well, slinging an arm across my stomach. "Don't get up," he ordered me sleepily, and I bit back a smile as a slid an arm under his body, pulling him tightly to my side.

"I have bad news," I informed him quietly.

"Padma?" he said, his deep brown eyes opening and staring at me. I was distracted for a long moment, absorbed in Ayumu's gaze. "Eyes? Are you okay?"

"Sorry," I said, feeling my cheeks color slightly. "Nothing so terrible as you're thinking. But it is Wednesday."

Ayumu waited, obviously expecting me to say something more, and then realization hit him. "School!" he gasped, shaking his head.

I smirked, running a finger down his chest teasingly. "I'd try to tempt you into skipping, but you would never do that, would you?" I remarked, enjoying the way his expression changed abruptly, darkening with heat and desire as my finger traced its way lower to dance along the line of his pants.

"I skipped last week for you," he reminded me, sitting up and straddling me easily. He bent down to brush a kiss across my forehead, then one on each of my eyelids, and finally on the tip of my nose before finding my lips for an all too brief kiss. "I'm just not certain what my inducement to skip today would be."

"Well, if that's how you see it," I replied, calling his bluff easily, starting to roll away, finding myself quite suddenly pinned back in place, a hungry kiss searing my lips. I moaned lowly, caught slightly off guard by Ayumu's sudden dominance. I gazed up at him for a long moment when we finally broke apart, almost regretting my promise the night before to take things slowly.

"Not to kiss and run, but I do have a test today I can't miss," Ayumu confessed, looking apologetic. "I can come back after school."

"You'll need to bring the others with you," I informed him, grumbling as the world beyond my own libido came crashing back into focus. "We have to start working on a plan, figuring out what happened to Padma and how much danger we are now in."

"Okay," Ayumu agreed, rolling off me and starting to rummage for his clothes, not realizing his shirt was in the other room still. I tossed him one of my white shirts, and he smiled, looking a bit shy. "I guess I don't really have time to get home for clothes, huh?" he remarked.

"I imagine you would face an interesting line of questions from your sister as well," I replied, enjoying the fact that Ayumu's cheeks colored quickly. "Not that you'll avoid them from Rio and Ryoko when you show up at school in one of my shirts."

"That I can handle," he answered, shrugging. He kissed me quickly, grabbing his bag from the floor and tugged his shoes on, shouting a quick goodbye before hurrying out. By my quick calculation, he'd make it to school with only seconds to spare.

I shook my head before heading to the bathroom for a cold shower.


	6. Chapter 6

_KousukeAsuzuki: Heh, sorry about that, but they aren't quite ready for that, and given a lack of honesty between them… it's for the best. And yes, everyone will find out! Thanks for reviewing!_

_Ran: Thanks! More to come, I promise!_

_Yuumei: Heh, I couldn't resist the insert of a slight homage to the genre. We do enjoy that sort of thing, don't we? D And yes, people will definitely find out!_

_Red Kitsune Flames: (Resists urge to say "wow") Thanks a lot for the review!_

_Ifuriita: Thanks, I'm really enjoying playing with these two, which I guess is why it comes together so well for me._

**F Major Diminished Fifth Trilogy**

**III. Unity **

**Part Six**

**From Ayumu's Point of View:**

I always wonder if Kiyotaka found any point in going to school. Mainly, I get in trouble for daydreaming. Not that my work has ever slipped or I've failed anything, but just for not paying as much attention as I should. Today was no exception; in fact, it was worse than usual.

I was a bit grumpy by the time I lay down on the roof, covering my face with a magazine, trying to relive yesterday in my mind before the others hit the roof. "Wake up, sleepyhead!" I threw my magazine in the general direction of Hiyono's voice. "Well, that's nice!"

"That's either for taking my lunch or disturbing my nap, take your pick," I informed her without opening my eyes.

"It just so happens that your lunch was already missing when I went to take it!" Hiyono informed me haughtily. "I imagine Rio is enjoying a very nice cuisine that should be mine."

"I am not!" I sighed, recognizing the petulant tone that indicated Rio was about to become very difficult.

"I don't care who has it, I just would like to eat it once myself," I said grumpily. "By the way, Eyes wants us all at his place after school."

"Oh, really?" Rio's tone had changed abruptly from the spoiled child to intrigued. "How come you get to pass along the message?"

"Just lucky, I guess," I replied, avoiding the subject she was poking lightly at. A grin tugged at my lips though.

"Hey, guys," Ryoko's voice floated across the roof, and Rio and Hiyono chirped, "Hello!" I managed to raise my hand in a wave in her general direction. "You guys should see the great lunch Kousuke brought me today!"

I sat up suddenly at the same moment Rio exclaimed, "See, I told you I didn't take it!"

"Heh," Kousuke grinned sheepishly in my direction with a shrug. "At least it wasn't those two for once, aye, Little Narumi?"

"Kousuke, you idiot, you could have just gotten me lunch like usual!" Ryoko said darkly, ruffling his hair, though the fact that the lunch was stolen didn't stop her from digging in quickly. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. They were acting a bit odd. Rio and Hiyono both looked curious, so apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Whatever," I said, laying back down. I was aware of four pairs of eyes turning to look at me.

"Whatever?" Kousuke echoed blankly. "I don't get a lecture or something thrown at me?"

"Guess not," I replied absently, thinking of Eyes again. Maybe I could skip the last bit of classes and make it over to see him before everyone else.

"Ayumu said Eyes wants to see us all after school," Rio said a moment later, and I felt it again. Every time someone mentioned him or I thought about him, I felt like grinning like an idiot. "You did!" I had only a moment's warning before Rio slammed into me, punching my arm in what I assumed was supposed to be a hard punch for her. "Kousuke said the two of you were together yesterday!"

"Ow," I replied jokingly, sitting up again with a sigh. "I have no idea what you're babbling about, Rio."

"I think you're right, Rio," Kousuke observed maddeningly calm. "Little Narumi looks like the proverbial cat who ate the canary."

"What are you two blathering about?" Ryoko asked, looking up from eating my lunch. I noticed Hiyono was staring intently at her shoes, trying to get rid of an invisible scuffmark on her toe.

"Rutherford and Little Narumi, of course," Kousuke said gleefully.

"What?" Ryoko said, looking closely at me. "Can I kick him for being stupid?"

"For once, he's not being stupid," I admitted, feeling my cheeks heat under her close scrutiny. "Eyes and I… I mean, Eyes… last night…"

"Whoa, no details, Little Narumi," Kousuke joked, holding up his hands.

"I wouldn't mind!" Rio piped up, getting glares from Ryoko and Hiyono. "Or not, geez! I just think it's sweet, Eyes finding somebody. After Kanone…" she bit her lip, and looked up, frowning at her sudden pause.

"I know he dated Kanone," I reassured her, and she shook her head.

"I don't think you understand. Kanone used to keep Rutherford close to him. We hardly ever got to see him. Then Kiyotaka started coming around, and Rutherford got very different. He got stronger, had faith in himself and in Kiyotaka. He and Kanone grew apart, and Kanone gave him an ultimatum: come with him, or it was over. Rutherford stayed with Kiyotaka and with us," Ryoko explained quietly. Her arms were folded over her chest and her eyes were a bit cold.

"We didn't like seeing Eyes get even more cold, shut down," Rio added.

"Hell, we didn't know it was possible," Kousuke put in, cracking his knuckles threatening. "If you're messing with him at all…"

"Ayumu? Messing with him?" Hiyono burst out, looking outraged. "Shouldn't he be worried about Eyes using him? It doesn't sound like Eyes would just get over Kanone, and you're all dangerous!"

"Hiyono," I said gently, trying to calm her down.

"Why would you choose him anyway?" Hiyono turned on me, her voice rising. "He's one of the Blade Children!"

"Hey!" Kousuke said, obviously trying to lighten the tension. "I think I'm offended. We don't smell or anything!"

"Kousuke, stop," Rio said, surprisingly serious and sad looking. "Hiyono's just is saying what we have all thought. We're trouble."

"It's my choice," I said firmly, glaring around the roof at everyone. "I'm with Eyes because I want to be and because he wants me."

Hiyono turned and walked off the roof, and I stared after her. "I feel like I missed something," I muttered.

"Other than her being crazy about you?" Ryoko slapped the back of my head lightly. "Idiot."

"I know that part," I replied ruefully, rubbing my head where she slapped me. "I meant I just didn't expect her to take it that hard. She's known for awhile that I had feelings for Eyes…"

"Doesn't stop a girl from getting her hopes up," Rio reminded me sagely, using Ryoko's distraction to steal a bite of her lunch. "Not to mention some of us thought Eyes would never pick you. You're so different from Kanone!"

"Well, she can look on the bright side," Kousuke added darkly. His face was unusually serious. "Rutherford turns eighteen in about a month."

I looked blankly at Kousuke, aware that Rio and Ryoko suddenly both gasped audibly at my look of confusion. "What?" I asked quickly, on my feet before I was aware of it. "What aren't you telling me?"

From Eyes' Point of View 

I was on my way out of the building to go check out the concert space for later that week when I had a sudden thought. I crossed to the desk, nodding politely at the somewhat overly enthusiastic and overly friendly woman. "Good morning, Mr. Rutherford!"

"There's a young man who has stopped by several times in the past month, Ayumu Narumi," I began, and she nodded eagerly. "He's rehearsing a duet with me, please let him up whenever without buzzing me."

"Of course, Mr. Rutherford! A duet! How exciting! I can't wait to hear it!" As usual, she was trying too hard, but for once I couldn't muster up enough negativity to be annoyed. I even thanked her before I left.

The sun was too bright outside as I slipped on my sunglasses. My phone buzzed in my pocket, signaling the arrival of a text message. I flipped open the phone, frowning in dismay. The number across the top was all too familiar. Kanone. I was tempted to delete the message without reading it, but my training on how to protect myself kicked in. Any and all information was necessary.

"One month till we know the truth, old friend. Expect a visitor soon."

My frown deepened, my happiness from waking up with Ayumu dissipating all too quickly. Kanone coming here? No, I corrected, perhaps he meant hunters. Trouble for certain, I decided, putting my phone away.

I reached the concert hall, carefully checked the tuning on both pianos, and then settled in to play a few pieces to familiarize myself with the acoustics of the hall. As I played, I let my mind drift back to the alley, wondering what I had done the night before, rethinking my decision to be with Ayumu for the first time. I should have told him about my birthday coming up, I reprimanded myself. I hated being dishonest with him, even if it was only by omission. But how attached could he get to someone like me anyway?

I was aware of the person entering the stage behind me but didn't stop playing. "Yes?" I asked coldly.

"Hello, Rutherford, old friend."


	7. Chapter 7

**F Major Diminished Fifth Trilogy**

**III. Unity **

**Part Seven**

**From Eyes' Point of View:**

I turned, nearly gasping at an all too familiar voice. "What the hell are you doing here?"

A flash of an annoyingly cocky grin. "I thought you might be glad to see me, Rutherford."

"Did you want something?" I asked, feigning cool anger, though my insides were jumping in a dizzying manner.

"Just a chat," he replied easily, striding easily over to the piano and sliding a finger up the keys in an effortless, graceful scale. "Perfectly in tune, as usual. Ayumu must enjoy playing with you."

I stiffened automatically at the innuendo crystal clear in his tone. "How do you know about the duet?"

"Duet?" An elegantly raised eyebrow raised my own barriers, ice slamming into my stare. "Is that what they call it now? Or have you taken me at my word that you ought to record a duet?"

"You haven't answered my question."

"There isn't much I don't know about my younger brother," Kiyotaka Narumi informed me, leaning his elbows on the piano keys with a crash of cacophonic notes. "I was spying on him at lunch."

"Why not speak with him?" I suggested, keeping an edge in my voice. "He's been looking for you."

"I needed to speak with you first," Kiyotaka answered easily. I narrowed my eyes, taking in the other man's face, much thinner and lined from obvious strain and stress. "I didn't voluntarily vanish, Eyes. Kanone tricked me. And I was prisoner until Ayumu defeated him."

"You were stupid enough to wager your freedom." My voice was flat, but inside I was trembling with rage.

"As long as I was in the picture, none of you would rely on Ayumu," Kiyotaka replied dismissively, only a tiny crease on his forehead revealing his frown at my tone. In the blink of an eye, the crease vanished and was replaced by a wide, easy grin. "So how's little Rio? Still driving you and Kousuke up the wall with her little explosives?"

Two can play this game, I decided grimly. "She blew herself up trying to defeat Ayumu. Deliberately held a bomb to her chest and let it explode."

Kiyotaka shook his head. "I never do know what to make of that girl. She's either plain crazy or suicidal."

"I think it's mainly the latter," I informed him coldly. "You vanished and so did her hope. She was afraid to trust Ayumu that far."

"At first," Kiyotaka corrected me annoyingly. "She obviously adores him now. You know, I'm surprised, Rutherford. I thought you might have softened up a bit, given that you're… what's that quaint British term? Shagging my baby brother?"

"And I thought a year in captivity might have lessened your arrogance," I shot back.

"You all love me for it," Kiyotaka returned fondly. "So, fill me in, Eyes, and then we'll go find my little brother."

"What about Madoka?" I asked quietly. The sparkle of arrogance in the other man's eyes faltered in a satisfying manner.

"I'm not going to let her see me," he replied. "It would just hurt her more that I leave again in a matter of days. Madoka is not to be involved with this." His tone was vaguely threatening, and I waved it off casually.

"Kanone's the only one who was stupid enough to involve her," I replied, leading Kiyotaka back to my dressing room. "She has her suspicions, but Ayumu has so far managed to keep her angrily ignorant."

"Isn't ignorance supposed to be bliss?" Kiyotaka asked, cocking his head to the side curiously.

"Only if you're completely ignorant, not just left out," I explained patiently. "Not to mention, she's a liability to both you and Ayumu and she knows it."

"One of us I imagine you care a great deal more about," he smirked, and I stopped walking, simply looking back at him impassively, waiting. "I'm sorry, but I simply never imagined you and Ayumu…"

"He's not the same kid you left behind," I reminded Kiyotaka. "In fact, if I know him, he'll be pissed when he sees you."

"Good," Kiyotaka announced, pausing as I stopped short. "What is it?"

"I closed that door," I remarked, staring suspiciously at the door, which was open the tiniest of cracks. I reached out my arm to its full length, using my fingertips to push the door slightly. We both jumped back as a bloody lump dropped from the top of the door.

"Had some trouble lately?" Kiyotaka asked, looking faintly paler than normal.

"I think it's a hand," I told him unnecessarily. "The police report said Padma's body was missing one."

"Holy Gods, Eyes!" Kiyotaka swore, looking at the hand. "Don't go in there," he warned me unnecessarily as I shoved the door open wide, revealing that the room inside had been very thoroughly trashed. I wasn't certain what the Hunter had been looking for; I kept nothing personal or of value in the dressing rooms.

"It's just a calling card," I replied coolly. "This Hunter won't be satisfied unless we're in a face to face encounter."

"The rest of Padma resembled her hand?" Kiyotaka asked, sighing.

"Yes." I watched as his detective skills, rusty from a year of rest, slowly kicked into gear. He didn't touch the hand but instead pulled a pen out of his suit jacket, turning the hand over carefully, revealing a crumpled ball of paper grasped in its fingers, the smallest of which I realized wasn't attached any longer.

Without damaging or touching the hand, Kiyotaka managed to work the paper loose, and I watched, morbidly fascinated, wanting to store every detail in my mind so that I could repeat the deft actions if I ever had to. Kiyotaka then began to slowly push the edges of the paper flat, drawing a second pen out of his breast pocket to aid his progress. Typed words slowly became visible, though it was streaked with blood, making it difficult to decipher for a moment. Kiyotaka managed to free the top fold and we both stared, dumbfounded.

"Your concert schedule for the past few weeks and next week," Kiyotaka observed grimly. "She was trying to track you using it?"

"Undoubtedly," I replied, thinking of the movements the girl had made. London, LA, here… "She got a hold of it in London."

"You're certain?" Kiyotaka asked, frowning at my short nod. "The Hunters have seen this, handled it. You ought to cancel or reschedule these concerts."

"Absolutely not!" I replied haughtily, reminded eerily of a similar fight I had had with Kousuke and Ayumu.

"Idiot," Kiyotaka muttered under his breath. I was about to ask him exactly what made him so certain that the Hunters had even seen the note when I noticed the wide finger prints smudged on the edges of the schedule in blood. Too wide to be Padma's. "You're not afraid, even after what they did to Padma?"

"Fear is immaterial," I informed Kiyotaka coldly. "Are you planning to sit here all day or shall we join your brother and the other Blade Children?"

"Yeah, we can go," Kiyotaka said, rising and suddenly even paler than when he had seen the severed hand. I smirked, unable to help the bit of malicious delight I felt in knowing that he was nervous about seeing Ayumu. I was hoping Ayumu might even haul off and hit his brother. I held my reserve too tightly to allow myself to give into my desire to hit Kiyotaka.

The walk to my penthouse was silent, and I allowed Kiyotaka to remain caught up in his own thoughts as it allowed me to think carefully about my next move in dealing with Padma's killers. I would not cancel a concert. It was simply an unacceptable form of retreat in my mind. But precautions would have to be taken. During the show I would be safe. The type of murder these killers favored required a much more private setting. But coming to the concert, my dressing room, and leaving the concert would all be turned into places that I was vulnerable to attack. Bombs would create the level of destruction these killers craved, but lacked the personal contact, and also made it hard to take bits of me as a trophy. I had an odd thought of wondering how much my hands, skilled with the piano, could be sold for on e-bay after I was dead. I decided against asking Ayumu for an opinion later; he probably wouldn't be as amused by the idea as I was.

I tossed my keys on the table beside the door, ignoring Kiyotaka's instant exploration of the bare room. The sparse furniture and piano in the center of the room made it the perfect practice space, but I could tell he was thinking that it was a far cry from a homey room.

I sat at the piano, practicing a few scales while I waited and Kiyotaka prowled through my kitchen like he was hunting something. I hoped he would kill a soda or some pocky soon and settle down to eat. His pacing was making me feel twitchy too.

The door banged open, and I turned, facing a glaring Ayumu. "Eyes, we need to talk. I don't like secrets."

Hmm. Perhaps Kiyotaka hadn't been so sneaky after all. "I've hardly…" I started, and stopped as Kiyotaka entered the room. From the way Ayumu froze in place and the color drained from his face, I'd misread what he was angry about.

From Ayumu's Point of View 

My mind contracted down to a single point somewhere on my way to Eye's apartment, focused in on finding out what he had hidden from me. The other three Blade Children had clammed up quickly, mysteriously telling me that this was something I had to talk with Rutherford about. I'd blown past the overly friendly girl at the front desk telling me I didn't have to be buzzed in anymore, refusing to let the tiny part of me melting in pure pleasure have any sway on my determination.

I'd been so prepared to yell at Eyes and glared at the stranger who walked in to interrupt me. My eyes adjusted to the thin, careworn face to suddenly decipher the face of a too familiar man. I'd given him up for dead, written him off at long last and freed myself from his too dark shadow. Kiyotaka.

"Hey, little bro," he greeted me, and I clenched my fists, his casual tone and too wide smile making me want to hit him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I burst out, my lungs on fire when I finally remembered to breathe in again.

"That sounds vaguely familiar," Kiyotaka mused, looking toward Eyes, who only glared. "Ah, yes, Eyes asked me that only an hour ago. You two really might be in danger of becoming an old married couple someday, huh?"

I looked at Eyes, and jerked my head toward the bedroom door. He narrowed his blue eyes at Kiyotaka, clearly warning him away and turned and walked into the bedroom. I spared one last glance for my brother, suddenly afraid he'd be gone when I returned to the sitting room again, before turning and following Eyes, slamming the door behind me as I entered.

"Punching bag," Eyes told me, pointing to the small one hanging on the far side of the bed. I crossed the room quickly, slamming a fist into the bag, quickly followed by a second, third… I sighed, collapsing onto the bed after a moment. "Better?" he inquired, and I nodded, suddenly exhausted.

"I thought he was dead," I confessed. "I gave up, I accepted it. I was almost glad because it was so much easier than trying to struggle against the impossible odds. Happiness of any solid belief, I guess." I chuckled, amazed at how bitter it sounded to me. A pale hand entered my field of vision, and I stared at it for a moment, remembering how I had offered Eyes my hand the day before when he was in pain. I slid my hand into his gently. The moment our fingers were laced, I let my head fall, resting on Eyes' shoulder.

"I did too," he told me, his voice quiet. "I almost hit him when he showed up earlier. I figured you would."

I laughed again, the bitterness seeming to have fled with my anger. "What is he doing here? And how does he know about us?"

"He's been close-lipped about what brought him back here, but he did admit to spying on you earlier today," Eyes explained. I listened, simply resting against Eyes, as he told me about the hand in his dressing room. His free hand had found my hair and was slowly sifting fingers through short strands in what I dimly recognized as Eyes needing my comfort as much as I needed his.

We lapsed into silence for a long moment before I commented, "Perhaps Kousuke will hit him."

Eyes shook his head, a touch of a smile lightening his brilliant blue eyes. "You'll meet a brand new Kousuke," Eyes informed me dryly. "One who worships the ground Kiyotaka walks on."

I tried to imagine, but ended up shaking my head, unable to picture Kousuke admiring anyone. "Think of the way Kousuke treats Ryoko," Eyes suggested helpfully. "Only… not gay."

I found myself laughing at the simple matter-of-fact way Eyes described it. "Do we have to go back out there?" I asked, and Eyes shook his head, an odd smile tugging at one corner of his mouth.

"We could stay in here, fool around for awhile." His breath was hot on the side of my neck just before he pressed a soft kiss below my ear. "Make him wait just a little while."

I brought my lips down to catch his, my tongue easily working his lips apart. He had grabbed a hold of me tightly and begun to wrestle control of the kiss back from me when a loud pounding on the door jolted us apart. Barely a moment later, an infuriated Rio burst through the door.

"What the hell is he doing here?" she shrieked angrily. "How long has he been here?"

"Even in my bedroom we have no privacy," Eyes muttered, standing and pulling his hand free of mine. I followed him back to the sitting room, envying the way he seemed to be completely deaf to Rio's angry protests. Ryoko was on the couch, her arms folded and her eyes narrowed to slits, obviously angry, while Kousuke was sitting on the arm of the couch, looking rather hopelessly caught between Kioytaka and Ryoko. Hiyono had taken up her usual spot on the floor, but I was guessing I wasn't welcome to sit down in my usual spot next to her. I crossed instead to the piano bench, straddling it and sitting back to watch the fireworks. Kiyotaka, I noticed with satisfaction, was rubbing his shin and glaring at Rio, and my guess was that she had kicked him.

"All right, Kiyotaka, I think it's time you told us all why you're here," Ryoko ordered, and I started, surprised by the venom in her voice. "Taking off and leaving us to the Hunters, great move, so now what?" Kousuke shifted uncomfortably but looked equally interested in the answer.

Oh. I tried not to smile, but I couldn't help it as I caught on. Ryoko was angry for Kousuke, who didn't seem to be capable of getting angry with Kiyotaka himself. "Glad to see you, too, Ryoko," Kiyotaka commented wryly. His eyes had found mine, and he paused, obviously searching my face for something. I held my features carefully emotionless, and from the look in Kiyotaka's eyes, I must have done well. "I suppose I should tell everyone where I've been…" he trailed off, his eyes landing on Hiyono. "One of yours?" he asked Eyes, who shook his head.

"Hiyono's with me," I said quickly. I wasn't sure how Hiyono would react to that, but she seemed to be content with that.

"Well, Hiyono, I'm Kiyotaka Narumi, and you'll pardon my rudeness in asking what you're doing mixed up with this lot." Kiyotaka looked suspiciously at Hiyono and I glared.

"Stop it," I managed to say bitingly. "You're not in charge here, and you get no say in who helps us out."

Kiyotaka smiled at this, looking pleased by my response. "Very well, I suppose I should start with my decision to leave Madoka and Ayumu…"


End file.
